Hi. We are aiming to fly the 210 to Cannes on Sat 3rd. The myhandlingsoftware web provided acceptance of our IFR slots within the hour but adjusted slightly the ETA. I wonder how critical that is since we will have to depart at LESB opening time 0815LT in order to arrive barely on time, depending on routing.
Skyvalet also sent a message via the application that
Skyvalet wrote:
As your WS is under 12m, and as we have a lot of heavy aircraft in this period, we’ll need you to take, if possible, Golf or Mike grass parking.
despite parking only for eight hours…
I guess this means they are reserving their apron for bigger birds? Last time I was there Mike was rather rough with very high grass. Is it any better nowadays?
Any suggestions for alternates in the area? LeLuc usable? No need for fuelling for us.
My experience with the myhandling slots is that as long as you have one, it doesn’t really matter when you arrive, if you don’t actually need any handling. It may be different if you need the ramp, baggage handlers and all the rest. A couple of months ago I confused Z and local time and arrived two hours before my slot. I never heard anything about it. Departure is different, there the tower will hold you to your filed slot time, unless it has been overridden by a CTOT.
So I would try to arrive close to the slot time, but not obsess over it.
You’ll be fine on G or M with a 210.
There aren’t really any practical alternatives if you want to be in the Nice/Cannes area. Le Luc is strictly military only. Cuers LFTF is a fine VFR airport but with no transport facilities at all. You might be able to get an Uber/Bolt/taxi to Toulon, but it’s not certain, and will be expensive. And then you’ll be in Toulon. If you’re not fussy about where you go, Aix and Avignon are both possible. Aix is VFR only, I THINK a taxi/etc will take you into town or to a car rental place, though I’ve never done it. But it’s 1h50 from Nice.
So I’d stick with LFMD if I were you.
Couple of other things…
My advice for Golf and Mike. Taxi in front of the the grass parking row, shut down (even if GND will hate it) and by hand push the aircraft backwards into the weeds. Upon departure, once you have checked that the bit ahead is ok, taxy out under (lots of) power, after the engine has been warmed up. Otherwise, if you have at least 3-4 persons at hand, pull the aircraft out by hand and then start up (again blocking the taxiway).
Alternatively, boycott the place.
That would be my advice for many places with grass parking
If you boycott all grass parking airfields in France you would leave very little choice of places to go especially during busy periods.
Last night there was a documentary on Nice airport. It had a guy on there who called himself a flight broker. He booked aircraft (mainly private jets) with crew for people plus getting slots parking etc.
He got a call from a well known actor’s representative to fly in for the Cannes Film festival. He couldn’t get parking at Cannes, Nice or Marseille. The only choice he could give them was either fly scheduled to Nice or Marseille or he could get them in at Avignon and then get a helicopter down to Cannes. I’m not sure LFMD would be particularly concerned about a boycott by pilots not wishing to park on the grass.
Incidentally they said that Nice had an average of 120 business and private jets a day. If that’s right it’s mind blowing that there are that many rich folk but then Monaco is just next door.
I’m surprised he didn’t fly in to LFMN then fly off somewhere else like Toulon to park. You see quite a few biz jet flights between Nice and Cannes or Toulon which I presume are about cheaper or available parking. I noticed a Citation the other day doing it VFR at 1000 feet.
Thx
Yes the last time I parked at Golf we shut down and pushed. Since it’s only for a few hours I’ll insist on tarmac see how it goes…
I was looking for an alternate airport to file. Last weekend we were at Le Castellet and that was good but too far from Cannes if we have to ground run it.
There aren’t any great alternates. LFMN if you’re desperate. LFMV if the weather turns to s*** and you just need to get on the ground.
Thank you all for the good advise